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Former Trump Campaign Official Says Black Fox News Guest Out Of His 'Cotton-Picking Mind’

David Bossie, a former deputy campaign manager for PresidentDonald Trump, used a racist phrase to attack a black panelist on “Fox & Friends” on Sunday.

Bossie, president of the conservative advocacy group Citizens United, ripped into Democratic strategist Joel Payne during a heated discussion about liberals’ reactions to the Trump administration’s contentiousimmigration policies.

“You don’t have to be a golden retriever to hear all thedog whistlescoming out of the White House these days,” Payne said, accusing Trump of using racist rhetoric to rally his base around immigration.

“You’re out of your cotton-picking mind,” Bossie told Payne.

“Cotton-picking mind?” Payne responded. “Brother, let me tell you something: I got some relatives who picked cotton and I’m not going to sit here and allow you to attack me like that on TV. I’m not out of my cotton-picking mind.”

On Fox News, David Bossie, former Trump Deputy Campaign Manager, telling a black panelist that he's "out of his cotton-picking mind."pic.twitter.com/wpoqHKbINw

Fox News host Ed Henry apologized later in the show for Bossie’s comments.

“David Bossie used a phrase that clearly offended Joel Payne and offended many others,” Henry said. “I don’t know what David meant by it.”

“I want to make sure that Fox News and this show, myself ― we don’t agree with that particular phrase,” he continued. “It was obviously offensive, and these debates get fiery ― that’s unfortunate. We like to have honest and spirited debates, but not phrases like that, obviously. And so I will just leave it at that.”

Hours later, Bossie apologized on Twitter, saying he should have chosen his words “more carefully.”

New statement from Fox News: "@David_Bossie's comments today were deeply offensive and wholly inappropriate. His remarks do not reflect the sentiments of FOX News and we do not in any way condone them."https://t.co/YwyuhqJdBz